By Kim Buddington
Internship programs for college students are widespread across many different industries and professions these days. It is no different in the world of agriculture, as internships give students and recent graduates the connections and practical skills required to get a solid start in their chosen career field. From animal science work to agribusiness services, young people across the United States and abroad are spending their summer hard at work. Among these driven individuals is Jimmy Kervick, a recent graduate of SUNY Cobleskill in Cobleskill, New York.
Jimmy is currently in the midst of a fifteen-week internship program at Mountain View Dairy, owned by Daniel & Angela Schmid, in the Delaware County town of Bloomville, NY. Mountain View Dairy doesn’t just milk cows, they are a diversified operation with heavy involvement in agri-tourisim activities. At the dairy, guests are welcome to take their vacation in the serenity of the country thanks to the Farm Stay program. Options include the rental of a fully furnished house on the farm or the booking of tent camping sites.
With many different activities going on at once, there is plenty to keep Jimmy busy, and he’s able to learn the many different angles of running such a business. His days begin early- with milking the cows, of course. After milking is complete, he makes sure the Farm Stay guests are comfortable and attends to any needs they may have. Other jobs that Jimmy does throughout a typical day include social media management for the farm’s channels, running necessary errands, and any additional chores that go along with the day to day operation of the farm.
“My favorite part about this job is networking with fellow farmers, business owners and guests from around the world,” explains Jimmy.
Ahead of this internship, he had completed a solid college career- earning both an Associate Degree in Agricultural Business and a Bachelor of Technology in Animal Science with a concentration in dairy. Even with that education under his belt, the internship experience is still proving to be very valuable to him.
“Even though I spent four years in college learning about agriculture and agribusiness, there are many things that I never got the exposure to do in college [that] I am getting the opportunity to do here,” Jimmy states.
Thanks to Mountain View Dairy, he’s had opportunity to star in a commercial for the farm, compile a menu for their fresh meats, help maintain the company website, and more.
So maybe you’re reading this and are currently in college. Have you begun exploring internship options? Even if an internship isn’t a requirement for your degree program, it is still an excellent idea to pursue one! You are sure to discover things you didn’t know about yourself, as well as open up doors for future opportunities- employment or otherwise.
“Go to a place where you are going to learn something,” Jimmy advises, “where there is a chance for you to get hands on in all areas of the business.”
When you do take a deep dive into many different areas, you are guaranteed to be challenged as well. Jimmy says the hardest thing about the internship for him so far is how many things you have to know and do every day to run a productive and successful business. Cows and customers have different needs that must be met…sometimes all at once!
But when the summer is over, and his internship is complete, Jimmy is hopeful that the knowledge and experience he gained will pay off on the road to his next adventure- whatever and wherever that may be. Thank you, Jimmy, for sharing your story with us! We wish you the best in all your future endeavors.
If you are interested in following along with Jimmy’s fun on the farm, you are welcome to check out his Instagram. For more information on Mountain View Dairy, follow along with their Facebook and Instagram, or visit their website.
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